Costa Rica as an Incentive Destination

Costa Rica is blessed with endless beaches, active volcanoes, and abundant wildlife. It is also renowned for its peaceful tradition and the genuine hospitality of its people.

A safe setting with all the comfort of deluxe hotels, delicious cuisine, and exciting activities ranging from high-powered events to long sought-after relaxation, makes Costa Rica the perfect choice for your incentive programs.

History

Main Incentive Destinations

Highlights

Costa Rica is one of the oldest democracies in the Americas. Since the civil war of 1948, the country has no standing army; in fact, the Constitution expressly forbids it. During the last 50 years, Costa Rica has established a well-developed conservation system, not only nature-wise but also regarding its social and cultural wealth.

As early as 1948, a free compulsory educational system was consolidated, resulting in a literacy rate of over 93%. Almost 90% of all high school students attend public institutions, and the four most prestigious universities are still public. Generous government budgets provide medical coverage for every working citizen, resulting in an extremely low infant mortality rate and average life expectancy of over 70 years.

Costa Rica is located in Central America, between the Caribbean and the Pacific Oceans. It has more than 5% of the total species of planet Earth with only 0.003% of the land, being the smallest of the twenty megadiverse countries in the World.

The literacy rate of Costa Rica is 96.7% with education free and mandatory since 1870.

The government is constitutionally required to allocate at least 8% of the country’s GDP from its annual budget to educational programs.

Costa Rica's Main Incentive Destinations

Costa Rica’s biological richness offers a vast diversity of locations and microclimates, providing an exotic array of settings you can explore with your incentives group.

Here is a list of the main areas in Costa Rica that offer the adequate infrastructure for high-quality incentive programs and that provide the best settings for an unforgettable trip. Among the vast array of options our country offers, these are the ones we recommend with our eyes closed:

North Pacific Coast: Guanacaste

Bordering the northwestern area of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, the province of Guanacaste is a gateway to nature and beach adventures. Its rich topography offers a variety of places, from stunning beaches to mind-blowing volcanoes and savannas to life-full tropical dry forests. Guanacaste is a land of culture and folklore, cattle ranches, dark-skinned local cowboys, and quaint towns.

From November to April, the province gets almost no rain, and the sun hits hard. Nevertheless, fresh winds from the north lower the temperatures pleasantly along the coast from December to February. From May to October, the warm weather remains, but accompanied by occasional rain, usually in the afternoon. The dry season here lingers slightly longer than elsewhere in Costa Rica.

Guanacaste offers you a wide variety of activities from the different hotels in the area:

Central Pacific Coast: Beach & Jungle Combination

The region comprises the area between Tárcoles and Herradura Beach, where Villa Caletas and Los Sueños Marriott hotels are respectively located, as well as Jacó Beach and the well-known Manuel Antonio National Park to the south.

There are inviting swimming and surfing beaches, attractive small coastal towns, numerous outdoor activities, life-rich national parks, and fantastic wildlife, among other attractions.

The temperatures average 30ºC (86ºF) during the dry season and a little lower during the rainy months.

While in the Central Pacific Coast you will have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities:

Carara National Park Walk

Jungle Crocodile Adventure

Ocean Padding

Horseback riding

Rain Forest Aerial Tram

Tranopy zip line tour

Canopy tour

Manuel Antonio National Park

White Water Rafting

Tortuga Island Tour

Main Hotel Options in the area of your meeting or Incentive program:

Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort

Villa Caletas Hotel

Zephyr Palace

San Jose City

San José Incentives are supported by excellent weather (Average temperature is 77°F all year round), fantastic infrastructure, beautiful landscapes, and dozens of activities of all sorts.

The area consists of a fertile upland basin inhabited by approximately two-thirds of the country’s population, and it accommodates its four most important cities: San José – the capital city -, and the provinces of Cartago, Heredia, and Alajuela.

The average temperature in the valley is 24ºC (77ºF), and the altitude oscillates between 2000 and 5000 feet (600 to1500 m). The land is enclosed by mountains and volcanoes, which are some of its main attractions.

Due to its strategic location in the middle of the country, the Central Valley allows you to choose from a variety of activities:

Visit the National Theatre and the museums

Go white-water rafting

Rain and cloud forest hiking

Take a canopy tour

Visit butterfly farms

Visit botanical gardens and coffee plantations

Visit picturesque towns

The capital city also provides an excellent opportunity for shopping and enjoying nightlife activities.

Main Hotel Options in the area of your meeting or Incentive program:

Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose

Hotel Real Intercontinental San José.

Wyndham San José Herradura

Some of the most amazing areas of the country.

Costa Rica offers a variety of places and landscapes to choose from, such as:

The Northern Region: Arenal Volcano, Monteverde, and Sarapiquí

The Northern Region covers a vast area that includes humid tropical forests, pasturelands, an active volcano, hot springs, wildlife, and dense, misty woods isolated within the mountains. Sarapiquí, Fortuna -the nearest town to Arenal Volcano-, and Monteverde Cloud Forest, all belong to this region.

Tortuguero National Park: Nature at its best

Tortuguero is one of the most important nesting sites in the world for the green sea turtle, which finds its way to the brown-sand beaches every year. Its territory also protects the surrounding forests, canals, and lagoons. Access is by boat or air only; it is an ideal place to observe wildlife.

Osa Peninsula: Untouched wilderness

One of the main areas of wilderness in Costa Rica, the Corcovado NP was established in the 1970’s. The other major attraction in this area is the famous Caño Island Biological Reserve, a top diving, and snorkeling spot.

South Caribbean: Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Manzanillo

Beaches in this area are beautiful, the surf can be downright excellent, and everyone appears to be in a state of tropical bliss. The Afro-Caribbean influence is present in the music, food and laid-back way of life. Sights in this picturesque area include Cahuita National Park, Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Punta Uva, Talamanca, Kekoldi Indian Reserve, and Bocas del Toro Islands in Panama.